Enabling Scan Tracking

Available on: Pro and Max plans

How Scan Tracking Works

When tracking is enabled, SnapGlyph creates a special redirect URL for your QR code. When someone scans it:

1. They’re directed to SnapGlyph’s tracking server
2. We record the scan with timestamp and anonymous metadata
3. They’re instantly redirected to your destination URL

This happens in milliseconds—users won’t notice the redirect.

What’s Tracked

For each scan, we collect:

• Timestamp: When the scan occurred
• Device type: Mobile, tablet, or desktop
• Country: The country where the scan occurred (based on IP, anonymized)
• QR code identifier: Which QR code was scanned

Privacy note: We don’t track personally identifiable information. IP addresses are used only to determine country and are not stored.

Enabling Tracking on a New QR Code

1. Create a new QR code with a URL data type
2. Click Save QR Code
3. In the save modal, enter a name for your QR code
4. Toggle Enable Tracking on
5. Click Save

The QR code will encode a tracking URL instead of your direct destination URL.

Note: Tracking can only be enabled when saving a new QR code. You cannot add tracking to an existing QR code after it has been created.

Tracking URL Format

Tracked QR codes use a URL like:

https://snapglyph.com/r/abc123/xyz789

Or with a custom domain:

https://qr.yourbrand.com/r/abc123/xyz789

This URL redirects to your destination while recording the scan.

Viewing Scan Data

To see your scan statistics:

1. Go to QR Codes in the sidebar
2. Click on a tracked QR code
3. View the scan count and analytics on the detail page

Or visit the Analytics section for aggregate data across all QR codes.

Limitations

URL Type Only

Tracking only works with URL-type QR codes. Other types (text, phone, email, WiFi, vCard) cannot be tracked because they don’t involve a web redirect.

Requires Internet

The user scanning the QR code needs an internet connection for tracking to work. The redirect happens online.

Ad Blockers

Some aggressive ad blockers or privacy tools may interfere with tracking redirects, though this is rare.

Disabling Tracking

Once tracking is enabled on a QR code, it cannot be turned off for that QR code. If you no longer want tracking for a particular QR code, your options are:

1. Disable the QR code: Go to the QR code detail page and disable it to stop the redirect from working
2. Delete the QR code: Remove it entirely from your account
3. Create a replacement: Create a new QR code with the same destination URL, but leave tracking turned off when saving

You’ll need to replace any printed or distributed QR codes with your new untracked version.

Tracking vs. Non-Tracking

Feature	Tracking On	Tracking Off
Scan count	Yes	No
Country data	Yes	No
Device type	Yes	No
Direct URL in QR	No (redirect)	Yes
Works offline	After redirect	Yes
Slight delay	~50ms	None

Best Practices

• Enable tracking for marketing campaigns to measure effectiveness
• Disable tracking for permanent signage if you don’t need analytics
• Use custom domains for branded tracking URLs
• Monitor regularly to understand scan patterns

Next Steps

• Understand your scan analytics
• Set up a custom tracking domain
• Set up webhooks for real-time notifications